Music 613

Study of 18th-century music with special emphasis on pre-classical and classical composers. Detailed survey of the music of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. Offered every third year.

Detailed Description of Content of Course

1. Introductory concepts

a. Roots of classical style: stile gallant, rococo. The emerging of sonata form from "incomplete" to full fledged. The emergence of the symphony and other media.
b. Important pre-classical figures: Scarlatti, Gossec, Monn, Sammartini, CPE and JC Bach, Mannheim school.

2. Haydn

a. String quartets from the early rococo first violin dominated works to the mature ones "in a new and different" manner exhibiting more equality.
b. Symphonies from the early concertante style through the London symphonies with their consummate mastery of content, form and the use of the full standard orchestra.
c. Vocal music. Operas, and the Masses, primarily the late ones.

3. Mozart

a. String quartets--especially the last ten. String quintets --especially the last four. Other individual chamber works --K. 542, 563, 498.
b. Symphonies--Tracing them from the early Italian-overture types through last six.
c. Operas--focusing on the last eleven years-- Idomeneo through Magic Flute.
d. Piano concerti--focusing on those from 1784 on.
e. Church music. The Salzburg Masses, "Munich" Kyrie, and the solitary masterpieces of the Vienna years.

4. Beethoven

a. String quartets--Early Op, 18
b. Symphonies--The first three
c. Piano sonatas--From among his earliest published works.
d. Vocal music

Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

Reading and listening assignments surveying the classical period from its pre-classic days through Beethoven's last works. Class time is spent summarizing and surveying different features and characteristics of the various significant portions of the classic period's literature: e.g. the early Haydn quartets, the later Haydn quartets, etc. On a more active level is musical evaluation and analysis, both from scores and recordings.

Goals and Objectives of the Course

Students willpermanently retain an overall scope of the classic period from its pre-classic roots through late Beethoven, as well as remembering some of the most significant works. This knowledge will influence their teaching and enrich the repertory of performers with new works and insights.

Assessment Measures

Examinations involve listening identification, analysis or discussion of specific compositions, and general questions of a stylistic nature. A research project explores one topic in depth, and each student is encouraged to select a topic that would personally be of interest or future benefit.